The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec. 14, 1922
HANCOCK COUNTY SCHOOL GARDENS: One hundred and forty-four gardens for Hancock County rural schools-this is the aim of the art extension committee of the better community movement of the University of Illinois.
Two thousand three hundred and fifty children in Hancock County spend most of their waking hours for eight months of the year in the most barren place in the county. With the aid of S. D. Faris, county superintendent of schools, every teacher in the county has been notified that plans are now available for the planting of school grounds and lists of shrubs and plants suitable for transplanting may be obtained from the art extension committee. The Parent-Teacher associations have pledged their support and Mrs. Whitten, the regional chairman of this district will name a person to sponsor the work in each county.
THE PERFECT WOMAN: The measurements and description of the perfect woman, as approved by a New York sculptor follow: height, 5 ft. 7 inches; weight, 147 lbs; wrist, 6 ½ inches; bust, 36 inches; waist, 24 ½ inches; hips, 42 inches; thigh, 22 inches; knee, 17 inches; calf, 15 inches; ankle, 8 inches; size of glove, 6 ¼; size of shoe, 3 ½; color of hair, chestnut brown; color of eyes, hazel. (How does this compare to today s models?)
AMERICAN INDIAN SPEAKS TO LYCEUM: Patrons of the season's Lyceum course were given a rare threat when Chief Strongheart, the Indian lecturer and entertainer appeared at the U.P. Church in the third number of the course. It is safe to say that no lecturer has ever spoken before a Stronghurst audience and held the undivided interest of his audience for so great a length of time as did the speaker of the evening. For two hours and half Chief Strongheart held his audience under a seeming spell and even the children present showed no signs of restlessness.
Chief Strongheart is a full blooded Sioux Indian of the Yakima tribe and is the grandson of Chief Standing Rock, who was a prominent figure in the Sioux uprising in Dakota nearly half a century ago when General Custer and his entire command met death in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The war bonnet which the speaker wore as part of his regalia was the same one worn by his grandfather during that memorable battle.
The speaker did not, however, allude in his speech to the fighting record of his ancestors, but rather presented to his audience the picture of the Indian as a lover of peace and of the virtues which make for true nobility of character. He took up three periods of the history of his race in America, namely, the time before the advent of the white man, the days of white settlement, and the present period of life on the reservation.
He said that before coming of the white man wars were unknown among his people and that the Great Spirit had given the various tribes a universal sign language and had taught them the significance of the Pipe of Peace, which became the emblem of good will amongst all Indian tribes. He declared that the reputation of savagery which the Indian had acquired was underserved and that they had never used as murderous weapons of warfare as the paleface. He also compared the standards of morality of the two races and showed pretty conclusively that the white man had little to boast of in that regard. In speaking of the training of the young, he said that self reliance was taught the Indian boy at an early age and that at the age of 8 or 10 he could usually take care of himself. He then naively remarked that it took 21 years to make a man of an American boy and than a young flapper could come along and make a fool of him in 20 minutes. The speech abounded in many witty sallies at the expense of the white race which the audience took in good part and the point of which they were evidently ready to admit.
Speaking of present conditions on the reservation, Chief Strongheart made a bitter attack upon the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding their administration of affairs and boldly charged that graft, corruption and gross mismanagement characterized their dealings with the wards of the nation. If one half of what he told his audience is true, it is high time there was a house cleaning in this department of government.
The speaker made a strong plea for the bestowal of full citizenship rights upon the Indians who are left, and for their rights to choose their own place of residence and the opportunity to prove themselves as worthy of citizenship as the millions of aliens to whom the government gives the rights mentioned.
Chief Strongheart goes to Washington in a few days and will there present a petition to Congress, signed by more than half a million voters, asking that the rights mentioned be granted. Copies of this petition were left here for signatures and may be found at either of the banks in the village by those who would like to sign them.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Chas. Bell, who was taken suddenly ill with an attack of pleurisy and threatened appendicitis a week ago is now on the road to recovery. During his absence from the paper, A.H. Kershaw, Mr. Steffey and J.F. Main kindly volunteered to help the publisher. Mr. and Mrs. D. Headen leave for a two months sojourn at Long Beach, California. At the conclusion of the U.P. choir practice at the home of Mrs. G. W. Worley last Thursday evening, a social was held in honor of Mrs. Ernest Spiker, a member of the choir who recently became a bride. It is reported that Mr. Orville Boyd and Miss Marguerite Wheeling were married Thursday evening at Galesburg, Ill. Mrs. J.F. McMillan has gone to Des Moines, Iowa, accompanied by her brother Roy Launderman who has been working for the Stronghurst Lumber Co. The second annual banquet given by the business men of the village to the high school football team was held Thursday evening at the Nuvon Hotel.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: Elmer Worley and Louie Echardt, Jr. have commenced team work for the Sinclair Pipe Line Co. and are working west of Ormonde to Fort Madison. A musical entertainment and plate supper was given at the Christian Church; a considerable amount of cash was taken in for the Red Cross. A daughter was born at the Burlington Hospital to S. F. Tannus and wife. The Lomax Foundry under new management opened for business; they will continue to manufacture the Forde furnace.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: The young people's play, "All A Mistake," was given in the church parlors. Four young ladies and four gentlemen formed the cast that did themselves proud. They did some splendid acting for amateurs and each seemed well fitted for their assigned part. They took in $32 and some of this has been applied on the price of a piano which they recently purchased. They are offering to give this play to any church who will invite them for one half of the door fees. Mr. and Mrs. Gorrell of Red Oak, Ia. attended the funeral for Mr. Leslie Lyons. Elmer Carlson, who has spent the last several months in Kansas and Nebraska, has returned to his home west of Olena. Mrs. Hazel Johnson Fisher has gone to Iowa City to take treatment for lung trouble. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Johnson, are keeping the young daughter Lillian during the absence of the mother.
The Gladstone store was broken into one night last week, but the culprits were soon caught and are now keeping company with the bootleggers in the Oquawka jail. Mr. James Brewer, who spent the last three weeks in a Burlington hospital, was able to return to his home east of Olena. Mr. Brewer was suffering from a hurt which he received from a young horse some time ago.
--OBITUARY--RUFUS LESLIE LYONS: Rufus Leslie Lyons, youngest son of Jesse and Nancy Lyons, was born on the old homestead three and a half miles northwest of Olena on Jan. 5, 1884 and after a lingering illness of several months, departed this life in the early morning of Nov. 27, 1922. On Feb. 15, 191 the deceased was united in wedlock with Miss Bertha Quinn of Biggsville, Ill. To this union two daughters were born, Mildred Louise, aged 9 years, and Velma May, aged 6 years.
At an early age the deceased united with the Olena Methodist Episcopal Church and continued that relation to the end. He was preceded in death by an infant sister. He was a kind husband, a loving and indulgent father, a very patient sufferer and when asked how he was feeling, he usually said, "I have felt better." Besides his wife and daughters, he leaves to mourn his aged parents, one brother, Charles Lyons of Olena, two sisters, Mrs. Alice Schroeder of Media, Ill. and Mrs. Nellie Miller of Biggsville, Ill. who are joined in their sorrow by many other relatives and a host of friends.
Shortly before he left, he asked his loved ones to go with him to his heavenly home, saying that he was now ready and wanted to be sure they planned to be there too. Funeral services were conducted in the Olena M. E. Church by Rev. Russell of Smithshire assisted by Rev. Sailor, the pastor of the Olena Church. A choir from the Stronghurst U.P. Church furnished the music.
CHANGE AT OIL STATION: Mr. Preston Taylor having resigned the position of agent for the Standard Oil Co., Mr. E. E. Davidson arrived to take his place. Mr. Davidson will continue to handle the full line of refined oil and greases manufactured by the Standard Oil Co.
FOOLED THE CLERKS: Dressed in out of date fashion, a young woman stepped into a cloak store in Fort Madison a few days ago and asked permission to use the telephone. Apparently ignorant of how to operate one, she turned the crank of a pencil sharpener on a desk and then, without raising the receiver, tried to talk. Store clerks laughed. They were convinced she was a "rube." She turned and bought a dress, giving a check for five dollars. Yesterday, the check came back marked "no funds."
IT'S THE LAW: Under the law of Illinois every automobile must be equipped with two headlights and a tail light. The headlights should be of equal power. The tail light should be at the left of the center of the car and should illuminate the number plate with a white light. The tail light should, of course, be red. (Today, we take all of this for granted, but at this time many companies were making of cars were being sold and some consistency was needed.)